Instant Reliable Research: Why the Special Issues Index is So Special

You say you need up-to-date, trusted information right away? You say you need recent studies, reliable statistics and dependable trend reports on a topic or industry? Read on - and watch this video:

Try looking up your industry or a general topic in Google, Yahoo or Ask. Go ahead, try it! Try using your favorite search engine to learn about healthcare, the credit card industry, biotechnology or even, what the heck, shipping and shipbuilding.

You’ll get millions of results - and that’s a waste of time if you are researching a specific topic for background such as recent surveys, industry overviews and the professional inside scoop.

Despite our best efforts, people still think that Google “gets” everything. In fact, even the best search engines only “get” a tiny fraction of what’s available on the Web. One reason is that some of the best information is hidden on the “Invisible Web” behind paid passwords. Some things, however, are are worth paying for.

Consider the James J. Hill Business Reference Library. This remarkable site offers Fortune 500-like research power to start-up companies and individual entrepreneurs. The cost? Less than your monthly cell phone bill.

The Hill Library offers databases that help you find new sales leads, resources to get the scoop on your competition, backgrounding tools that profile companies and individuals and much more.

Any one of these databases would be worth the price of admission, but let’s consider just their Special Issues Index.

Why Waste Your Time on Research? Just “Dial it Up!”

The Hill Library’s Special Issues Index is truly special - because nobody else has anything quite like it. Available only to members, you’ll just have to read the rest of this article and watch our 2-Minute video called “What’s So Special about the Hill Library?.”

Here’s how the Special Issues Index works. You see, as magazines, trade journals, and other industry publications come in to the Hill Library, they are combed for statistics, trend reports and industry profiles - and then indexed and filed into neat little topic folders just for you.

So, instead of using a search engine to get millions of results - most of which are not relevant to your search - you simply type in the industry or topic you are looking for and get all the articles in one place.

More topic examples? Just to name an alphabetical few from a random slice:

Cable Television
Canada
Candy Industry
Ceramic Industry
Chemical Industry
Children
Children’s Products
Clothing Industry
Coffee Industry

But, What About My Industry?

Wonder if your industry, topic or interest is included? Just give us a call and we’ll tell you if it is or not. Or, take advantage of a 10-day free trial at www.jjhill.org. You can even download the list of topics at this page called “Publications & Guides.”

Patricia Hoskins, Hill’s Technical Services Supervisor, gave us these background numbers:

Out of the 2400 articles listed in the Special Issues Index, 1100 are not available on the free web and a little over 1100 are not available in one of our databases. Even when available in a database or on the web, sometimes the accompanying graphics & tables are not fully available.

Even when available online in some form, learning about their existence can sometimes be difficult in the ocean of articles and websites out there.

Which is our point, entirely. People are always asking us how to find reliable, trusted information. The Special Issues Index gives you a great running start, with just one click. Try Google to see if they can match that kind of quick, concentrated value.

Beginning to see that background information like this can be critical in other ways? You undoubtedly work with any number of various people and companies - keep Special Issues at your side for the background you need for those future business deals.

And, speaking of dialing it up - as a James J. Hill member you can simply pick up the phone, send an email or chat online with their expert researchers - sending them out to lead you to whatever escapes you the first time.

Astonishing, actually. Some things really are worth paying for.